by Countess Constance Wachtmeister

I have just read in the 10th March issue of your Journal the kind and noble defense of Madame Blavatsky by Mrs. Helen
Densmore, and think it only right I should add my testimony to hers. This being the
third winter that I have lived with H. P. Blavatsky, I feel that there is no one who has a
better opportunity of knowing her than I have, and thus a better right to refute the
untrue accusation of her using intoxicating drinks! Not having read Mr. Colemans
slanderous article, I cannot touch upon any other untrue statements which he may have
made. I can only say that I personally have the highest respect and esteem for Madame
Blavatsky, and knowing how utterly false are all the stories invented and circulated by
people who have no personal acquaintance with that lady, I attribute Mr. Emmette
Colemans calumnies to personal spite, a very ignoble feeling indeed. I emphatically
deny the accusation that Madame Blavatsky makes use of intoxicating liquors; for she has
never ceased to hate the very smell of wine from her earliest childhood, as I have heard
from many. She will not even take wine by order of her physicians as medicine, who seeing
that her constitution could not stand such a violent remedy, abandoned it. If people,
before accusing their neighbors, would take the trouble to find out whether their
accusations are founded on the knowledge of some one or simply on hearsay, we should
probably find more charity among men and less desire to slander those, about whom probably
they know nothing certain.

It seems strange to me that amongst all our good and devoted brother theosophists in
America, Mrs. Densmore should be the only one to take up the cudgels in defense of Mme.
Blavatsky and refute this untrue statement. All the more credit and thanks to her for
coming forward to defend the reputation of a sister theosophist.

We all owe so much to Mme. Blavatsky for having founded the Theosophical Society and
for having been the instrument through which we have received so much knowledge and
spiritual truth, that I think we theosophists ought to rise in a body to defend her
against her enemies and their vile accusations.

I am devoting my life to the theosophical cause and to Mme. Blavatsky, because firstly,
I believe with all my heart and soul in the esoteric truths taught by her; and secondly,
because I find that a universal brotherhood on the basis given is the only salvation for a
mankind which is fast rivaling the senseless beasts in selfishness and indifference, when
not hatred to each other.

I have sacrificed much that the world holds dear to serve the theosophical cause, and
would certainly not have done so had I not been convinced of the truth of all I here state
and much more besides. I am, sir, yours faithfully.